This application generally relates to implementing aspects of gambling and/or betting into third party gaming applications.
Developments in computing technology in recent years have led to an increased market for applications that are executable on various different types of computer devices including handheld devices such as mobile smart phones, tablet computers, etc., as well as more traditional computer devices such as desktops or laptops. One popular genre of applications are gaming applications where users play virtual games of varying complexity. Although there are many applications in circulation, developers' current methods for monetizing the applications are often inadequate.
One existing gaming application monetization method relies on in-game advertising. Advertisements are provided within the application itself and provide revenue to the developer based on interactions between the users and specific advertisements (e.g., number of impressions, number of click-throughs, etc.). Many gaming application users, however, consider the advertisements to be a nuisance at best. A developer that includes advertisements, or too many advertisements, in its gaming application risks driving away potential users.
According to another existing gaming application monetization method, developers charge users for access to the code implementing the application itself. The purchased access may include a download of the code (e.g., in executable form) to the user's computer device and/or access the application as executed at a remote server. It is often difficult, however, to persuade users to pay for an application before the user has played the associated game.
According to yet another monetization method, users are initially provided with access to gaming applications for free. Once a user has begun to access the application, the user is provided with opportunities to purchase extras, such as virtual goods used within the game and/or additional levels. This method has the capacity to generate a high revenue per user for users that are motivated enough to purchase virtual goods and levels. Typically, however, a large number of users simply play the free portions of the game without purchasing extras, that is the free-to-paid conversion is often relatively low. Thus, the average customer lifetime value (CLV) and average revenue per user (ARPU) are often low.